In God We Trust

11-11-2018Weekly ReflectionFr. Julius Kundi

"In God We Trust", as we know is the official motto of the United States of America. It was adopted as the nation's motto in 1956 as a replacement or alternative to the unofficial motto of E pluribus unum pluribus, which was adopted when the Great Seal of the United States was created and adopted in 1782. History records that it was Reverend Mark R. Watkinson of 'Ridleyville', Pennsylvania, (pastor of Prospect Hill Baptist Church in present-day Prospect Park, Pennsylvania) in a letter dated November 13, 1861, that first petitioned the Treasury Department to add a statement recognizing "Almighty God in some form on our coins" in order to "relieve us from the ignominy of heathenism".

Many, at that time saw this as motivational to declare that God was on the Union side of the Civil War. While many see this as expressing the faith of the American Nation to God the Almighty, some groups and people have constantly expressed objections to the use of this motto "In God We Trust", citing its religious reference and wish others to see that it violates their fundamental rights, especially for those who do not, or no longer believe in God.

In truth, we cannot shy away from this disturbing situation but admit regrettably that the number of people who no longer believe God exist and not to talk of trusting Him, is on the rise in the United States of America. Most people trust not in God's providence any longer but rather in their own ability to do for themselves. People work very hard to fulfill not God's expectations, but rather the expectations of others and place their confidence not in God's truth and Jesus' eternal promises, but rather in our consumer society's self-serving falsehoods and empty promises.

In today's readings we have the story of two women who did trust in God. Elijah promises a poor widow that if she is generous with what little she has, God will provide that her "jar of flour not go empty and her jug of oil not run dry." She trusted that if she was faithful to God, He would be faithful to her and provide for her needs.

Likewise in the gospel today, that poor widow's two coins could in fact truthfully have born the words "In God We Trust" because they were all she had. By donating them to the Temple she placed her trust in God's providence, confident that if she was faithful to God, he would be faithful to her. So how about you? Are you among those that could be rightly described as, “It’s all taking and no giving!” as Dolly Parton sang in the movie: Working Nine to Five, and the next line mocks that way of life: “What a way to make a living!” The two widows were willing to put all that they had to live on to the service of God. How willing are you to give without grudging about it, even from what we have in excess? How willing are we to give up everything?

Trusting in God doesn't mean that we not plan for the future or that we not avoid credit card debt, but it does mean that we should not worry unnecessarily about a future that is ultimately out of our hands. Trusting in God means making God's will the number one priority in our lives, especially when we can't see how it's all going to work out. Trusting God in giving should be always the motivation even if we end of running out of supplies ourselves. Today’s readings teach us that good life mingles gracious taking with cheerful giving, and the main value is in the giving. It’s our giving that is recorded in the Book of Life. We can be rich spiritually too if we will learn to trust in God in all things.

Do you trust in God's providence? Then learn from the faith expression of the two widows which say to us in effect, “Give from the heart.” Their individual donations may have seemed small compared to other donors, but were priceless in value, because they gave all they had to live on. We are to learn also that generosity is not the exclusive prerogative of the rich. The poor have great gifts to share too. If you are faithful to God and do his will as best as you can, be sure He will be faithful to you and provide for all your needs too.

Indeed, it's In GOD we put our TRUST, not in DOLLAR!

Fr. Julius

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